From the Bookshelf of Science and Inquiry…

The Gene: An Intimate History

Siddhartha Mukherjee

Start date: October 1, 2016

Finish date: October 31, 2016

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Book Club 2016

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Nov 10, 2016 aPriL does feral sometimes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, favorites, science, history, literary, academic-notations

'The Gene' by Siddhartha Mukherjee is an extremely thorough and well-done history of the discovery of the gene and the scientists who teased out its form, function and purpose. I took my time to study the fascinating intricacies of the science involved to parse out visual clues and biochemical reactions and how it was developed by people who had nothing but guesses and hypotheses to work from.

Each new discovery led to small forward steps. Collaborations between scientists and sharing informatio 'The Gene' by Siddhartha Mukherjee is an extremely thorough and well-done history of the discovery of the gene and the scientists who teased out its form, function and purpose. I took my time to study the fascinating intricacies of the science involved to parse out visual clues and biochemical reactions and how it was developed by people who had nothing but guesses and hypotheses to work from.

Each new discovery led to small forward steps. Collaborations between scientists and sharing information, passing down their discoveries to yet another generation of investigators were enormously important to figuring it all out.

People learned the accidental interactions of nurture and nature affect not only personality, but genes too. Genetics profoundly interested those who wondered if conditional nurture and nature could be forced on purpose on the gene to correct mature imperfections and make humans disease free. The sometimes sad failures in attempts to treat patients cursed with miserable genetic diseases as well as the tantalizing successes are also clearly examined from all sides of the reasons for philosophical and medical caution. The horrors of the half-baked early eugenics movements in Europe and America are placed in context, and it is obvious these 'scientific' ideas reflected racial discrimination more than actual scientific fact. However, I feel sorrow how the 1920's-1950's eugenics movements poisoned the well of genetic discoveries in certain directions, particularly after ending in President George W. Bush's banning of work with stem cells. Pure idiocy, in my opinion, gentle reader.

Siddhartha Mukherjee writes in clear lucid language and in a logical procession of the centuries of research. He also gives short and interesting biographies of the many scientists who spent so many years trying to decipher the mysteries of why offspring are similar to their parents and yet show remarkable alterations which differentiate us from each other, with the exception of twins.

The book has historical photographs, a glossary, a timeline of discoveries, a section of notes, a bibliography, and an index.

'The Gene: An Intimate History' is a wonderful science read! ...more

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